Title: Examinations
(Subtitle: Loser. Kisses. Winner.)
Author: luckdragon
Rating: oh, PG again I suppose
Summary: Life is full of tests. There's nothing that says they can't be fun.
Disclaimer: I don't own them, but I have invited them out to play.
Author's Note: First off, thank you for all of your reviews and support, as always and again! I've said before that you keep me writing, and it's so very true. I apologize that this chapter might have taken a little more time than you've been accustomed to, but my real life is still crazy. If it helps, this chapter ended up being a bit longer than the previous ones. They just kept talking. :) Lastly, Care of Magical Creatures was briefly mentioned in the last chapter, as they were working on labeling diagrams of Gladys. Have to stick to the established format, after all. ;) So, I guess that means it's time for an Arithmancy chapter…
"Where are your keepers, Granger?" Draco began snidely. "Hiding nearby in case you can't stand up to big, bad Malfoy on your own?"
Ah, yes. Perfect beginning for a productive conversation.
"Hardly," Hermione sniffed. "Actually, I don't think they want to be anywhere near me after the telling off I gave them."
Draco seemed to squint at her slightly as his anger broke momentarily for perplexity. It was short-lived.
His expression re-hardened as he spoke again.
"Well, if you're going to lecture me as well, let's just move it right along, shall we?" He folded his hands primly over his work and stared at her with feigned attention. "Between this and the Arithmancy problems, I'm bound to be here all night. The sooner you leave, the better."
Hermione's anger surged, but she fought to keep it in some sort of check. Honestly, it would do no good to get into a shouting match.
I am not angry, Hermione told herself internally with Zen-like calm. She drew a deep breath, carefully choosing her next words.
"Stop being such an arsehole and let me speak!" she snapped.
Well done, Hermione, she thought to herself. That helped a great deal.
"What is there to say?" he asked indignantly.
"You can start out by telling me why you stuck your nose into my business."
Draco's response to this was to stare at her with a fierce incredulity.
"Well?" she bit out impatiently.
"If you…" he began, before trailing off. He shook his head slightly before continuing with force. "Because… because they have no right! No right whatsoever to act like a pair of self-righteous bastards when in reality –"
"If you know what's good for you, you'll stop that sentence there."
"But you're better than that!" he burst out in what would have been a downright shout had they not been in the library.
Hermione reversed his disbelieving stare, adding her own particular brand of pure skepticism.
"I'm – what?"
Draco had dropped his eyes and was scowling furiously at the tabletop.
"You're cleverer than the both of them put together," he mumbled hurriedly after another moment's pause, "which means that you shouldn't have to explain yourself to a couple of oafs every time you want to draw breath."
Hermione stared the hard edges of Draco's expression and felt her anger shrink upon itself just a bit.
"They're my friends," she finally offered softly. "They're just concerned about me."
"So why do you let them bully you around?" he asked, looking up at her again. "Surely you can choose for yourself who you're allowed to talk to."
Draco was still angry. Hermione could see it in his eyes, but she could read something else in them as well, a struggle of sorts. She could see just how badly he wanted to shut himself off (and, mostly likely, up) and how much intense curiosity he felt about the subject at hand.
"Of course I can, which I would have told them had you given me the opportunity," she explained. "And I would have told them that you've been perfectly… well, civil to me lately, and that they were being quite narrow-minded."
Hermione realized that she was still standing before him like some sort of great proud sentinel, and dared to relax her posture, pull out the chair opposite his, and take a seat.
Draco tilted his head back and looked at her carefully.
"And then?" he inquired.
"And they wouldn't have believed me, and they'd have insulted you all the more, and in all likelihood, there would have been a row."
"So it wouldn't have made any difference."
"Not at first, no," she admitted. "But I could have gotten them to come around in time. I'm afraid you've just set the effort back a bit, though."
"I don't see how you can associate with – with – them," Draco finished, clearly wanting to say more.
"Because they are my friends," Hermione reminded him truthfully. "We care about each other."
The pair lapsed into silence, but neither made any move to leave the table.
And Hermione thought, as she was wont to do. She had an inkling suspicion. It wasn't much, really. Just a nagging little tug along the sides of her contemplations. A pesky little suggestion. Surely mentioning it would be putting herself out on the edge of a very thin, precarious limb.
She did anyway, of course.
"It's okay if you're jealous," she whispered.
"I'm not jealous," he snapped back heatedly.
"You don't have to be," she continued nearly inaudibly, "but it's all right if you are."
"I'm not," he repeated.
Well, the branch hadn't snapped exactly. That was something.
The two fell wordless once again. The silence stretched on for a few moments, giving no indication as to whether it was companionable or uncomfortable.
"Draco?"
"Hmm?"
"D'you think that you could… maybe try to… not berate my friends at every opportunity you get?"
He looked at her again, this time with surprise.
"Dunno, Granger. Can I expect the same from them? From you?"
"What?"
"Your lot aren't any better," he pointed out. "It's always 'Slytherin this' and 'Crabbe and Goyle' that. You're not entirely blameless, you know."
"Next you'll be telling me it takes two to tango."
"It does," Draco said, looking confused.
"But Crabbe and Goyle are thick as bricks!" Hermione argued, switching gears rapidly. She was suddenly in no mood to be sidetracked.
"See what I mean?"
"There's no comparison," Hermione replied.
"There's not? I called you clever – don't prove me wrong by being daft now. Why can you poke fun at my friends but I can't do the same to yours?"
"But you'd say the same about those two great louts!"
"Oh, and you don't ever take piss out of Potter and Weasley?"
Hermione pulled up short. She frowned studiously, trying to block out the sound of her own voice as it traveled back to her from her memories.
"Just because you've got the emotional range of a teaspoon doesn't mean we all have."
"Oh, honestly, don't you two read?"
"…don't be pathetic, Ron…"
She closed her eyes and tilted her head, trying to suppress this unflattering blather.
When she reopened them, Draco was still looking at her, arching an eyebrow and looking every bit that he knew he was correct.
"All right, fair enough," she muttered, then became more animated as she continued on rather firmly. "Let's just forget about the company we keep for a moment. We really have other things to consider before we worry about whether we have to get chummy with… with… everyone else."
"Such as?" he asked, looking interested.
"Whether we can spend five minutes together in the same room peacefully," she replied.
"I think we've already proven that we can do that," he said, the twitch about his lips signaling the reemergence of his typical arrogant amusement.
"Without resorting entirely to our baser instincts," she added firmly.
Draco regarded her haughtily but not entirely unpleasantly. "And what makes you think that I would want to spend time with you?"
"Just a hunch," Hermione answered, meeting his gaze.
The two stared at each other for a moment's worth of silent confrontation.
"All right, Miss Granger, assuming that I do," Draco said, "how do you propose that we accomplish such a task?"
"Simple – we'll study together for the Potions exam."
"You just want help because you know you don't stand a chance," he ribbed her.
"Hardly! Who's been winning?"
"Well, we'll just see if that keeps up."
"I'm sure it will."
"Oh, you think so?" Draco challenged. He suddenly retrieved his diagram of Gladys and held it out to her, leaning forward and pointing to a spot. "What are these?"
"Her talons," Hermione responded smugly.
"Wrong."
"Wrong? Wh –"
"Those, Miss Granger, are her feet," Draco cut her off, grinning proudly.
"Oh! You!" Hermione sputtered briefly before bracing her hands against the table, leaning over, and wiping the smile off his mouth by covering it with her own. He responded with a relieved enthusiasm, even standing partway out of his seat to push against her more firmly.
Public place, Hermione, her conscience scolded mildly.
She broke off and leaned back. He opened his eyes and she was amused that he had an almost dreamy look on his face. That certainly wasn't a word she'd associated with his expression very often in the past.
"I should go," she murmured.
"Are you sure that you don't want to stay and help me with my Arithmancy?" he questioned lowly. "I'm not sure that I understand it – I might be making quite a few errors."
Her stomach fluttered briefly.
"No, no," she said, leaning away from the table. "I'd best go smooth things over with Harry and Ron."
"Right," he answered, sitting back down.
"I'll see you soon," Hermione promised, then left with a teeny smile playing about her lips.
Author's Note part deux: I do also apologize for all the cliffies lately – but look, this chapter wasn't one!